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Nonprofiteer
← OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue
$4,595,377
Total expenses
$4,372,802
Contributions and grants received
$4,157,041
Grants paid
$63,000
Program service revenue
$295,000
Investment income
$169,474
Other revenue
-$26,138
Total assets, end of year
$20,158,441
Total liabilities, end of year
$10,214,240
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$9,944,201
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,057,580
Management and general expenses
$663,903
Fundraising expenses
$651,319
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,057,580

Program services were 69.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $297,256

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $540,066

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,319,719

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $12,573

  • 2a · Program service revenue: PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

    total $295,000 · related or exempt $295,000

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $138,727 · excluded $138,727

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $700,736

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $669,491 · other assets $498

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $31,245 · other assets -$498

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $30,747 · excluded $30,747

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $14,887

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $297,256

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $41,025

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$26,138 · excluded -$26,138

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $63,000 · program services $63,000

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $185,889 · program services $92,945 · management and general $55,767 · fundraising $37,177

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $2,496,152 · program services $1,701,847 · management and general $375,152 · fundraising $419,153

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $17,388 · program services $11,898 · management and general $2,578 · fundraising $2,912

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $203,745 · program services $138,438 · management and general $31,011 · fundraising $34,296

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $213,146 · program services $142,808 · management and general $34,103 · fundraising $36,235

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $36,103 · management and general $36,103

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $19,353 · management and general $19,353

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $50,000 · fundraising $50,000

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $16,051 · management and general $16,051

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $92,159 · program services $63,534 · management and general $26,815 · fundraising $1,810

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $315 · program services $315

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $76,293 · program services $73,644 · management and general $2,074 · fundraising $575

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $37,046 · program services $30,748 · management and general $3,334 · fundraising $2,964

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $75,186 · program services $60,821 · management and general $7,605 · fundraising $6,760

  • 17 · Travel

    total $75,686 · program services $75,648 · management and general $38

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $9,546 · program services $6,692 · management and general $2,022 · fundraising $832

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $453,771 · program services $376,630 · management and general $40,839 · fundraising $36,302

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $52,155 · program services $44,250 · management and general $4,185 · fundraising $3,720

  • 24a · Other expenses: EQUIPMENT RENTAL/ MAINT

    total $69,850 · program services $53,821 · management and general $0 · fundraising $16,029

  • 24b · Other expenses: DONATED GOODS

    total $51,243 · program services $46,043 · management and general $5,200

  • 24c · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES

    total $42,596 · program services $40,940 · management and general $535 · fundraising $1,121

  • 24d · Other expenses: LICENSES AND PERMITS

    total $12,694 · program services $12,694 · fundraising $0

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $23,435 · program services $20,864 · management and general $1,138 · fundraising $1,433

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $262,099 · end of year $344,172

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $2,306,176 · end of year $2,774,598

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $596,688 · end of year $482,414

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $3,294 · end of year $3,061

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $69,707 · end of year $72,709

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $5,820,249

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $1,421,062

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $4,421,741 · end of year $4,399,187

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $2,137,964 · end of year $2,437,012

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $9,952,720 · end of year $9,645,288

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $135,499 · end of year $125,231

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    end of year $304,500

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $141,093 · end of year $136,868

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $9,951,287 · end of year $9,647,641

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $7,738,433 · end of year $7,965,477

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,784,077 · end of year $1,978,724

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE IS A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ORGANIZED IN 1999 TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENCE LEADERS. OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE CREATES LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM SCIENCE DUE TO RACE, INCOME STATUS, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. EDUCATION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TUITION-FREE AND BENEFIT STUDENTS IN A LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY IN CITY HEIGHTS, CA. CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 7,000 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON SCIENCE PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. THE INSTITUTE PARTNERS WITH SAN DIEGO TEACHERS AND ENGAGES STEM PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS.

  • OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE IS A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ORGANIZED IN 1999 TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENCE LEADERS. OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE CREATES LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM SCIENCE DUE TO RACE, INCOME STATUS, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. EDUCATION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TUITION-FREE AND BENEFIT STUDENTS IN A LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY IN CITY HEIGHTS, CA. CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 7,000 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON SCIENCE PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. THE INSTITUTE PARTNERS WITH SAN DIEGO TEACHERS AND ENGAGES STEM PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS.

    Expenses $3,057,580 · Grants $63,000 · Revenue $295,000

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • RUDY VARGAS

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • HEATHER BENTLEY

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • DEVON GIBSON

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • TARA MARATHE

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • DAVE BOYER

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • BARBRA CALANTAS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • JASMINE DAVENPORT

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • MATHEW MITCHELL

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • ANAI NOVOA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • VANESSA SARDELLA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • RICO SOLANO

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • KIMBERLY THOMAS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • SHARA FISLER

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $185,890
    From this org
    $173,087
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $12,803
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $173,087
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $1,460
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,343
    Filer's total
    $185,890

  • LINDSAY MCKAY

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $137,596
    From this org
    $134,991
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,605
    Hours/week
    40

  • MACKENZIE SANDY

    DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

    Total calculated
    $137,865
    From this org
    $129,640
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,225
    Hours/week
    40

  • SUSAN TILLMAN

    DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & CULTURE

    Total calculated
    $136,529
    From this org
    $127,404
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,125
    Hours/week
    40

  • ELVIA MEZA

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

    Total calculated
    $130,618
    From this org
    $120,723
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,895
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202612659349300436

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